Individual Consultancy -Support Child Protection System Strengthening Initiatives, Nepalgunj (Nepalese Nationals Only)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Protection

The Child Protection programme within the UNICEF Nepal Country Programme (2018-2022) focuses on developing and strengthening a child protection system to prevent and respond to all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation of children in Nepal.

The country’s shift to a federal system has substantially devolved power and functions to Provinces and Local Levels which presents both challenges and opportunities for UNICEF to implement child protection interventions and achieve the defined targets and results. During the federal re-structuring process, key child protection structures such as District Women and Children Offices, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Watch Groups, ceased to exist. Consequently, disrupting the essential child protection services.

Considering the COVID-19 context, there is even a dire need of technical support to the Provincial and Local Governments for the preparedness and response to child protection needs and issues. Particularly, the early identification of children and families, cases of abuse and exploitation, facilitating required services, updated referral pathways including assessing gaps is a big challenge in a current COVID-19 crisis. Thus, there is a limited capacity at Province and Local Levels to shape the child protection programmes, including structures and mechanisms to deliver services for prevention and response to child protection, as well as support sectorial coordination needs.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide technical assistance to support UNICEF’s regular and emergency child protection preparedness and response, particularly in the fields of coordination with provinces and Local levels, coordination, and outreach to community-based and monitoring of protection issues.

The consultant will accomplish the following tasks as per the methodology outlined below:

1. Programme documentation:
   1. Drafting case studies, including human interest stories on protection monitoring, incident reporting and humanitarian cash assistance to the most vulnerable children, including mobilizing child clubs and youths in local level planning process,
   2. Illustrate the work the Child Protection programmes do and draw lessons from specific programming models etc.
   3. Document the progress of child protection system indicators at Palikas and report to Zone office and NCO
2. Situation tracking and monitoring:
   1. Prepare a quarterly situation update, coordinating with various sources, including Palikas, Judicial Committees, police, Public Prosecutors, Courts, correction homes, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), community-based mechanisms and other organizations working on child protection and GBVs at local, district and provincial levels in Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces.
   2. Support operationalizing protection monitoring, incident reporting and vulnerability assessments at Palikas and provinces
3. Assessment of the use of trainings provided under child protection programme:
   1. Monitor the use of trainings and their impact on the service delivery standards and practices, preparing a quarterly report.
   2. While monitoring, shadow samples of categories of people previously trained to guide them with required skills and support the adaptation of capacity development approaches.
   3. Provide support to harmonize training manuals developed with UNICEF resources within child protection components, coordinating with respective output managers and field office colleagues
   4. Support developing a common approach in capacity development of the partners and stakeholders.
4. Quarterly update on the local investments/ resource allocations:
   1. Support local level planning process to incorporate child protection and GBV agenda into the plans
   2. Monitor the investment of local and provincial governments on child protection interventions, including expenditures
   3. Prepare a quarterly update on the expenditure to make an evidence-based advocacy for fiscal space for child protection programmes.
5. Operationalizing Referral pathways –
   1. Consultant will regularly assess the functionality of referral pathways, including ensuring updated referral pathways, adapted service promotion,
   2. Support functioning of referral pathways at Palikas level with availing the developed service directories
   3. Facilitate case management process at Palikas to respond to the survivors of violence, abuse and exploitation to services
6. Male engagement:
   1. Map out potential academic institutions, including colleges and schools and other relevant organizations and prepare a list for possible partnership
   2. Promote male engagement in the gender transformative agendas at local and provincial levels and support the development of a road map for UNICEF’s engagement with the selected institutions.
7. Participate in review/consultation meetings:

Deliverables:

June 2021

Drafting 3 case studies and 2 human-interest stories on protection monitoring, incident reporting and humanitarian cash assistance to the most vulnerable children, including mobilizing child clubs and youths in local level planning process.

August 2021

Submission of updates on the local investments; monitoring allocation and expenditures of local and provincial governments to make an evidence-based advocacy for fiscal space for child protection programmes.

October 2021

Submit a quarterly report on the assessment of the use of trainings and their impact on the beneficiaries, and provide support to harmonize training manuals developed with UNICEF resources within child protection components

December 2021

Submission of a quarterly situation tracking and monitoring updates, coordinating with various sources, including Palikas, Judicial Committees, police, Public Prosecutors, Courts, correction homes, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), community-based mechanisms and other organizations

February 2022

Referral pathways – quarterly submission of an assessment report on the functionality of referral pathways, including availing required services going beyond the existing structures and mechanisms,

March 2022

Male engagement – map out potential academic institutions, including colleges and schools and prepare a list to promote male engagement in the gender transformative agendas at local and provincial levels.

Duration:

The total duration of the assignment is for 11 months tentatively expected to begin from 1 May 2021.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education

University degree in law, social sciences or any other field related to child protection.

     Work Experience

• At least three years of experience in the related field
• Technical knowledge on child protection
• Relevant experience in planning and budgeting at Local Level
• Excellent Nepali and English writing and speaking skills.
• Relevant experience with UN agencies will be an added advantage.

  Competencies

• Good communication, coordination, analytical and facilitation skills.
• Capacity to work independently and to take initiative.
• Demonstrated commitment to delivering timely and high-quality resurt5.

  Special skills

• Technical knowledge and skills on child protection system strengthening
• Computer skills (including advanced Spreadsheet/Microsoft Excel).

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. We welcome applications from females and under-represented groups.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

Applicants are requested to submit financial proposal based on the deliverables.